In a number of other role playing games,
from tabletop AD&D to online MUDs,
it's often the case that roleplaying is
supported by OOC metatells.

These tells serve to coordinate complicated
scenarios or just explain things so characters
are prepared. It also serves to get people
less frustrated and more into playing the game
in aftermath.

Does this culture on CF use these sorts of tells?
There have been plenty of times already when
I thought it would be more fun for another
player to at least send a brief OOC tell e
xplaining the situation. Experienced players
usually understand what's going on, but moderately
experienced players or newbies might benefit.

think that anything you need to communicate about the character/game mechanics/events which pretain to IC can be done IC with a little imagination and persistence without breaking character. Its hard at first but after a bit you get used to it and the ones on the receiving end will get used to it.

We don't have a system like this in CF culture, and we certainly don't want one. Breaking character is just that... breaking character, and by definition isn't roleplaying. Any OOC speaking is likely to result in, at best, a pray to the immortals asking someone to explain to you why you can't do that.

That being said, it isn't uncommon to hear unavoidably OOC things explained in as best an IC manner as possible. For example, if you have to go afk, it's common to hear "My mind wanders a moment" or "My attention wanders" or something else similar, that I suppose might be consider OOC information blanketed with roleplay. You'll also commonly hear "I have to rest" or "Return to my prayers" or "Take to my hut" or any number of phrases that mean "I have to quit!".

I can't really think of anything that you couldn't coordinate just fine in-character. Did you have a specific example in mind?

Aarn

Thanks!

Okay, in general there are merits to such a system,
but really my question was about the conventions
at CF, which you stated pretty clearly. I haven't
been using any OOC meta-tells at all, and I will
continue to not so do.

Different roleplaying communities use different
conventions, and it all works out as long as
everyone adheres.

An example, let's say my character wants to play a
practical joke on a drinking buddy, or perhaps
adventuring companion. While camped he attemps to tie the
bootstraps of this target together (probably just an
emote).

It's possible to get a lot more mileage and
fun out of situations like this if the other person
knows its coming instead of acting completely impromptu.
By mileage, I mean a rich interaction that has me on
the floor laughing, literally, instead of just a polite
chuckle.

The target character's player might even miss the emote
while the character is sleeping, and then wouldn't that
look silly to anyone watching.

After the first time, the other person knows what's going on
and you wouldn't bother with any more OOC coordination.

Yeah, I kinda like the potential for something like that but in CF I'd just be worried about people using it to voice complaints to me after defeating them or what have you.

Mostly a cost of policing versus benefit type thing, but there are times when I wish I could say a brief line or two to someone OOC to explain something without having to break character.

I pretty much agree.

I've seen other games where the meta OOC tells were considered okay and I never saw one where they weren't grossly overused, in my opinion.

That's where one player decides (for everyone) how a scene should play out, and damn if they aren't going to tell everyone else how they should play their part.

I strongly prefer the crispness of our line between IC and OOC.

valguarnera@carrionfields.com

Well here is an interesting question.

If I wanted to know hit/dam rolls that someone else is seeing .. out of pure curisosity, nothing more. No ill intent, there is currently no way to ask without violating the OOC policy, becasue you would have to ask. Is there an OOC channel one can turn to let your hair down?

The proverbial hair stays up on CF... there isn't any OOC. Sometimes people speak in generalities to keep info like item stats in character, e.g. "It makes you hit a lot harder, somewhat more accurately, and it makes you healthier."

Aarn

I compare things to well known objects.

e.g. It has a similar effect to two skull rings.